How To Get Over A Man

11: Date-to-Hire list.

"You're what?" He laughed.

Kamari rolled his eyes at Tristan over the phone as he stared through the glass wall at nothing in particular. One hand cradled his work tablet as he narrated his dilemma to his friend who found it funny.

"Creating a list of potential dates-to-hire for a single event." Kamari hated how stupid he sounded saying it for the second time. He was certain Tristan heard him at first and just wanted him to repeat himself so he could laugh his head off.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Kamari frowned slightly interrupting his friend's laughter and failing miserably. He had no choice but to wait till Tristan calmed down to what felt like laugh-hiccup.

"What are we in? A movie? I can't believe she seriously asked you to do that." Tristan finally started to speak words.

"Well, it's for business and it's my job to make sure this goes smoothly. Although I don't know the details, I can tell it's really important and I'm not about to lose my job slacking off but she asked for a ridiculously long list and my brain aches from writing everyone I know according to her specs." Kamari said in one breath, panting softly when he was done.

"She has specs? Let me hear them." Tristan sounded like he was laying back on his sofa with his legs crossed and a can of soda in one hand, ready to be amused.

Kamari took in a deep breath and released it through his nostrils, ready to unleash. "Has to be between 25 to 32, not too muscular, not too poor, doesn't reside in New York if possible or super far away from Wayne Central, no full beards, it shouldn't hang off his chin, must be willing to sign a confidentiality document...."

Tristan laughed heartily. "You're kidding! What is she doing? Ordering something on Amazon?"

"Well, that's what she wants."

"Not too poor?"

"She doesn't wanna deal with blackmailers."

"Well, that's such a huge generalisation don't you think?"

"What I'm thinking now is how to add forty more names to complete the list."

"How many did she ask for?"

"Fifty with their social media info or dating profiles."

"Your boss is ridiculous Kamari, are you sure you shouldn't rethink this job?"

"I'm not grilling my ass through the year Tristan."

"So you prefer taking care of weird requests instead." Tristan teased, his voice slightly serious. "You should consider opening a restaurant of your own. I hope you haven't completely abandoned that idea."

"Well..." Kamari shrugged, gazing dreamily into the lights bouncing off other buildings. "Dreams are nothing but dreams if there aren't funds. I'd rather focus on now which is helping my fam and getting myself a house okay?"

"If I was rich I would have-"

"Can we focus on what needs to be done now?" Kamari snapped, experiencing a bite of pain. He didn't like thinking about his fading chef dream. It wasn't happening, he has to grow up.

"Alright." Tristan's playful mood seemed to be dampened as his tone was cool. The excited pitch gone. "I'll see how many names and profiles I can come up with and send them to you."

"Thanks so much Tristan."

"Thank me when we're having drinks tonight okay? I have juicy news."

Kamari smiled weakly. "You're seeing some chick again aren't you?

"Maybe. Maybe not. Bye."

"Yeah." Kamari's hand slowly slid down to his side, unable to stop his mind from thinking about his chef dream. When did he stop dreaming? When he matured? When he realized life's not gonna be nice enough to let him have it so he opted for something more....

What? Practical?

Kamari frowned at the condescending tone his thoughts took and his gaze refocused on his reflection in the glass.

"Ridiculous." He muttered to himself, chuckled in pity and then noticed his reflection wasn't alone. With wide eyes, he turned around on his heel to face the stern face of his boss.

"Miss Bronté."

She was folding her arms.

"You left your table to stare at yourself in a glass wall."

Kamari pursed his lips, his eyes shifted from side to side, not knowing what to say.

"The next time I have to find you and see that you are unnecessarily loitering about, I'll see that someone more efficient is employed in your stead."

"Yes ma'am." Kamari bowed his head. He had only decided to walk the ache in his head out that was as a result of trying to compile fifty names in line with her specs.

Amelia turned the way she had come and Kamari followed.

"What's the progress on the list of dates-to-hire?"

"I've got ten names now with their complete information pertaining to the purpose."

"Ten?" Amelia halted abruptly and turned around. "Just ten?"

"Well..." Kamari's eyes darted to the side.

"The event is the day after tomorrow. Getting me a date is important to the company."

"I understand that ma'am. I'm trying my best. I'll have the fifty names compiled by closing hour."

Kamari couldn't keep his eyes on Amelia with the direct intense look she was given him but he did take notes of the creases on her forehead. She was stressed, he could tell. With every hour that passed, Kamari watched Amelia's face get harder he feared that it might crack open.

Several times, he's served her coffee and concluded that Amelia reacted quite different to caffeine. Instead of fidgety, Amelia saw every trace of mistake and called it out with a sternness that he deemed unnecessary. Also, she took no breaks away from her desk. The only sign of exhaustion that was visible was the appearance of slight creases on her forehead every now and then. Thinking about it, Kamari decided to ask.

"Miss Bronté, you couldn't eat lunch before the meeting. Should I get you something now?"

Amelia thought for a moment. "Get me forty more names on that list, ask the manager to come in with the list of weekly reports." She pursed her lips into a thin line and offered a wan smile.

"Yes Miss Bronté."

"Ah!" She lifted a finger in remembrance of something. "Are you free tonight?"

"Tonight?" Kamari was caught off by the question, his mind trying to create sensible reasons why his boss would ask him that.

"Good. Tonight, we go over the list and we screen through. By morning we should have the names that we're going to contact and by 1 p.m, we should have someone ready so we can book a flight." Amelia nodded and turned around on her heel, walking in that usual urgent pace.

Kamari blinked. He hadn't said yes yet...

"Ma'am?"

"Also contact my lawyer, I want a copy of the terms and conditions sent to me for approval."

"Yes ma'am but..."

Amelia pushed open the door of her office leaving Kamari by his desk in utter disappointment. He wouldn't be joining Tristan for a drink this evening as usual. With a groan, Kamari slunk to his desk and dropped into his chair, puffing out air in exasperation as he looked up.

Was this what he wanted to do for the next five years? He asked himself as he thought of Tristan's question about the restaurant.